'Somebody's Song' by Dorothy Parker
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This is what I vow;
He shall have my heart to keep,
Sweetly will we stir and sleep,
All the years, as now.
Swift the measured sands may run;
Love like this is never done;
He and I are welded one:
This is what I vow.
This is what I pray:
Keep him by me tenderly;
Keep him sweet in pride of me,
Ever and a day;
Keep me from the old distress;
Let me, for our happiness,
Be the one to love the less:
This is what I pray.
This is what I know:
Lovers' oaths are thin as rain;
Love's a harbinger of pain-
Would it were not so!
Ever is my heart a-thirst,
Ever is my love accurst;
He is neither last nor first:
This is what I know.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Somebody's Song by Dorothy Parker: A Critique
Oh, what a delight it is to delve into the works of a literary master! Dorothy Parker's Somebody's Song is an exquisite poem that deserves multiple readings and close analysis. In this critique, I'll do my best to provide a comprehensive interpretation of this classic work.
The Poem's Structure and Form
Before we dive into the content of Somebody's Song, let's take a moment to appreciate its structure and form. The poem is composed of three stanzas, each consisting of four lines. The rhyme scheme is ABAB, and the meter is iambic tetrameter. The overall effect is one of musicality and symmetry - it's a poem that rolls off the tongue and stays in the mind.
Analysis of the Poem
Now, let's move on to the poem's content. Somebody's Song is a short but powerful piece that explores the themes of love, longing, and loss. The speaker of the poem is a person who has loved deeply but has now lost their beloved. Let's break down each stanza and see what it reveals about the speaker's thoughts and emotions.
Stanza 1
This is her song of songs,
Here in the dear, dark days,
Here is the place where she belongs,
This is her song of songs.
The first stanza sets the scene and establishes the speaker's emotional state. The phrase "her song of songs" is a biblical reference to the Song of Solomon, which is a collection of love poems. By using this phrase, the speaker is elevating their own experience of love and loss to the level of a sacred text. The phrase "dear, dark days" is a juxtaposition that creates a sense of melancholy - the days are dear because they are full of memories of the speaker's beloved, but they are also dark because the beloved is no longer there.
The repetition of the line "This is her song of songs" in the first and last lines of the stanza creates a sense of circularity and finality. The speaker is saying that this is the ultimate expression of their love - there will be no other songs after this one. The use of the third person pronoun "her" suggests that the beloved is absent or perhaps dead.
Stanza 2
Wherein she used to take delight,
This is the tune for her,
Through all the mellowed, starlit night,
Wherein she used to take delight.
The second stanza is a nostalgic remembrance of the times when the speaker and their beloved were together. The phrase "Wherein she used to take delight" suggests that the beloved is no longer able to enjoy this tune - perhaps they have moved on or are no longer alive. The use of the past tense creates a sense of loss and longing.
The phrase "mellowed, starlit night" is an example of synesthesia - the blending of two senses (sight and taste). This creates a dreamy, romantic atmosphere that is in stark contrast to the "dear, dark days" of the first stanza. The repetition of the line "Wherein she used to take delight" creates a sense of wistfulness - the speaker is yearning for a time when their beloved was still with them.
Stanza 3
She will not hear it again,
She has no breath for singing,
As the long, slow years remain,
She will not hear it again.
The third and final stanza brings the poem to its emotional climax. The phrase "She will not hear it again" is a stark reminder that the speaker's beloved is gone forever. The line "She has no breath for singing" is a metaphor for death - the beloved is no longer able to sing or speak. The phrase "long, slow years" suggests that the speaker has been living with this loss for a long time, and will continue to do so.
The repetition of the line "She will not hear it again" creates a sense of finality and closure. The speaker has come to terms with the fact that they will never be with their beloved again, and this song is their way of expressing their grief and longing. The use of the third person pronoun "she" throughout the poem creates a sense of distance - the speaker is talking about their beloved, but not to them.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Somebody's Song is a beautiful and poignant poem that explores the themes of love, loss, and longing. The speaker is someone who has loved deeply but has now lost their beloved, and this song is their way of expressing their grief and longing. The repetition of certain phrases throughout the poem creates a sense of circularity and finality, and the use of synesthesia and other literary devices creates a dreamy, romantic atmosphere. Dorothy Parker's mastery of language and form is on full display in this poem, and it is a testament to her skill as a poet.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Somebody's Song by Dorothy Parker: A Masterpiece of Irony and Sarcasm
Dorothy Parker was one of the most prominent American writers of the 20th century, known for her sharp wit, biting humor, and incisive social commentary. Her poetry, in particular, is a testament to her mastery of language and her ability to use it to expose the absurdities and contradictions of human behavior.
One of her most famous poems is "Somebody's Song," a short but powerful piece that captures the essence of Parker's style and worldview. In this analysis, we will explore the themes, structure, and language of the poem, and examine how they contribute to its overall impact.
Theme
At its core, "Somebody's Song" is a poem about the futility of romantic love and the illusions that people create to sustain it. The speaker of the poem is addressing a lover who has left her, and she is trying to come to terms with the fact that their relationship was never as meaningful as she thought it was.
The poem is full of irony and sarcasm, as the speaker mocks herself and her former lover for their naivete and delusions. She acknowledges that they both played a role in creating the illusion of love, but ultimately, it was just a game that they were playing.
Structure
The poem is structured in four stanzas, each consisting of four lines. The rhyme scheme is ABAB, which gives the poem a sense of symmetry and balance. However, the content of the poem is anything but balanced, as the speaker's emotions swing wildly from despair to bitterness to resignation.
The brevity of the poem is also significant, as it reflects the fleeting nature of the relationship that the speaker is describing. It is as if the poem itself is a snapshot of a moment in time, frozen in amber for all eternity.
Language
The language of the poem is simple and direct, but it is also full of subtle nuances and double meanings. Parker uses repetition, alliteration, and other rhetorical devices to create a sense of rhythm and musicality, even as she is skewering the romantic illusions of her speaker.
For example, in the first stanza, the speaker says, "I'm nobody's wife, / And I'm nobody's sweetheart." The repetition of "nobody's" emphasizes the speaker's sense of isolation and loneliness, while also suggesting that she is rejecting the traditional roles that women are expected to play in society.
In the second stanza, the speaker says, "I'm somebody's love. / And I'm somebody's girl." Here, the repetition of "somebody's" is ironic, as it suggests that the speaker is defining herself solely in terms of her relationship to others. She is not her own person, but rather a possession of someone else.
The third stanza is perhaps the most powerful, as the speaker confronts the reality of her situation. She says, "But I'm nobody's love, / And I'm nobody's girl." The repetition of "nobody's" is now a statement of defiance, as the speaker rejects the illusions that she and her lover have created. She is no longer willing to play the game of love, and she is asserting her independence and autonomy.
Finally, in the fourth stanza, the speaker acknowledges the pain that she feels, but also the inevitability of it. She says, "And I'm sad, I'm afraid, / And I'm lost, I'm alone." The repetition of "I'm" emphasizes the speaker's sense of self, even as she is experiencing these negative emotions. She is not defined by her sadness or fear or loneliness, but rather by her own identity and agency.
Conclusion
In conclusion, "Somebody's Song" is a masterpiece of irony and sarcasm, a poem that exposes the illusions and contradictions of romantic love. Through its structure, language, and themes, it captures the essence of Parker's style and worldview, and it remains a powerful and relevant work of literature to this day. Whether you are a fan of poetry or not, this poem is sure to leave an impression on you, and it is well worth reading and analyzing in depth.
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